30 Mr. A. Hume on Indian Ornithology. 



or lakes ("jheels" as we here term them) which, covering from 

 two hundred acres to many square miles of country each at the 

 close of the rainy season, are many of them still somewhat 

 imposing sheets of water early in January, and some few of 

 them of considerable extent even as late as the commencement 

 of March. Mohree Southenan, Mamun, Sirsau Nawur, Kurree, 

 Beenan, Soj, Hurrera, Suman, Kishnee, Phurenjhee, are some 

 of the largest of these rain-water lakes, many of which abound 

 with rushes and sedges, and, as the waters gradually dry up or 

 are drawn off for irrigating-purposes, become successively the 

 favourite haunts of the White Crane. 



There will always be at any particular time two or three " jheels" 

 that for the moment they particularly affect ; and these are as a 

 rule just those that then happen to average about eighteen 

 inches to two feet in depth, and that have a good deal of rush 

 [Scirpiis carinaius amongst others) somewhere in the shallower 

 parts. 



To this tract of country they make their way as early as the 

 25th of October (and possibly sooner, though this is the earliest 

 date on which I have observed them); and there they remain at 

 least as late as the end of March, or perhaps a week or two 

 longer. During the whole of our cold season they stay in this 

 neighbourhood, and, though growing more ajid more wary (if 

 possible) each time they are fired at, and disappearing for a day 

 or two from any " jheel " where an attempt has been made to kill 

 or captui'e them, they never seem to forsake the locality until 

 the change of temperature warns them to retreat to their cool 

 northern homes. Week after week I have noticed, and re- 

 peatedly fired at, sometimes even slightly wounded particular 

 birds, which have nevertheless remained about the place their 

 full time ; nay, I have twice now killed the young bird early in 

 the season, and the parents, one by one, at intervals of nearly a 

 couple of months. 



The Buhelias, a native caste of fowders (and, I fear I must add, 

 thieves), of whom there are many in the neighbourhood, and 

 who are keen observers of all wnld animals, assure me that, as 

 far back as -any of them can remember (namely, for at least the 

 last fifty years), parties of the White Crane or, as they call them, 



